Virus
by Yoshi-G-teh-First
Summary: Athena comes into the Wright Anything Agency feeling sick, during a measles epidemic. That's right! It's a sickfic. What will she do when she realizes she's not alone? Contains some DD spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Alright! So, this fanfic is a request from Yankeegal13, who wanted to see a sickfic involving Athena Cykes from Ace Attorney. They wished to see Athena catch measles, or whatever I thought worked best.

So here it is, my Ace Attorney Athena Cykes sickfic! This is set between Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice, so there are a few real major spoilers for the former, but not the latter. You've been warned. All characters belong to Capcom, not me! Enjoy! c:

* * *

~~Virus~~

-Chapter One-

The unthinkable has happened. Los Angeles, California, once thought to have been eraticated of the dreaded disease measles, is now under another measles epidemic! Naturally, everyone in the city has been advised to get vaccinated, and most everyone followed suit, with the exceptions of the children of soccer moms, who _still_ somehow think the MMR vaccine causes autism, those who are immuno-compromised, and those such as Athena Cykes, who have an allergy to the vaccine.

* * *

Athena awoke one morning, later than usual, tired and disappointed. Tired from fatigue, disappointed the pain reliever/fever reducer she took the night before didn't really help at all.

"Stupid medicine must be expired..." she mumbled as she proceeded to get ready for the day. Taking her pj bottoms off? Simple. Leaving her cami on, since she didn't want to deal with a bra today? Also simple. Buttoning up her shirt? She spent a good minute fumbling with each button, before getting it to cooperate, and proceeding with the next one. She also fumbled with her tie, before quickly giving up on it. She also decided to just tie her hair back into a low ponytail, not really feeling like putting any effort into it. For a moment, Athena wondered if it would be best to just call in sick. She quickly shook her head as she denounced that idea, not wanting to let what might have just been a simple common cold bring her down! Once she was finally dressed, she made her way to the kitchen.

"I'll just grab something before I head out..." she stated, before he stomach grumbled, and a small wave of nausea hit her. It wasn't enough to make her want to throw up, but it was still enough that she decided against eating. "...On second thought, I'll worry about that later." she said, as she headed out the door.

* * *

By the time Athena arrived at the Wright Anything Agency, the office was practically deserted. Which was unusual, since it was usually always occupied by at least one person, which probably still was the case, since most of the school district shut down due to the ongoing epidemic. As Athena reached her desk, she spotted a note. Curious, she read it:

 _Athena,_

 _If you found this note, then you finally got here. We tried to call you, thinking you might have overslept, but you didn't answer. Mr. Wright and I are heading to the detention center since we got a report on a robbery case. Trucy is still here, since school's out for her. As for us, we'll be back soon._

 _-Apollo_

"Did I really oversleep?" Athena thought aloud, as she saw the wall clock that read 11:30 A.M. "Dio Mio!" she shouted, as Widget changed from its typical light blue to surprised yellow. She had indeed overslept! She thought to call them right away when she found herself in a small coughing fit that forced her to sit down. By the time she caught her breath, she noticed she was no longer alone, as she saw a still pj-clad Trucy standing over her, with a cup of water in hand.

"You okay, Athena?" Trucy asked, as she handed her the cup. "That cough sounds really bad!"

"I'm fine, thanks." Athena stated, as she accepted the cup, and took a few sips. "Hey, how come you're still in your jammies?" she asked.

"'Cause I decided to sleep in." Trucy answered, as she plopped down onto the couch, then sighed. "Good thing I don't have school today..."

The other girl took an easy guess. "That time of the month?"

"Really, Athena?" Trucy asked, a hint of irritation in her voice. "...Yes." Just then, the phone rang, and Trucy decided to answer it. "Hello? Hi, Dad! _Really_? I've been up for an hour now. Yes, she's here! How did it go over there? Oh, that's great! Okay. Okay! Love you too, bye."

"Who was that?" Athena asked, since she wasn't paying the phone call any attention.

"Daddy." Trucy answered. "He and Polly are taking on that case, and are heading to the crime scene, so he said they'll be back later than planned."

"Ah, okay." said Athena, as she leaned her head into her hand and tried to concentrate on whatever was in front of her.

* * *

"Soon" and "later" both took on the form of an hour later before the two men came back to the law office.

"Well, look who finally got here!" Apollo smirked at Athena, as he fiddled with his tie.

Athena mumbled an "Oh, hey." as she briefly glanced up at them. "I got your note. How did it go?" she spoke more clearly this time.

"Oh, great." Phoenix answered. "I don't mean to be cocky, but I think we got this in the bag!"

"Yeah, our client was quick to-" Apollo was about to add on to Phoenix's statement when he trailed off as he got a good look at Athena; her hair was messily tied back and unkempt, her face was pale with a slight flush in her cheeks, her clothes were a bit disheveled, and her eyes were dull and generally tired-looking, like she was ready to doze off any second. All-in-all, she didn't seem well at all. "Hey, are you feeling okay?" he asked, concern written all over his face and in his voice.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, just tired." the youngest lawyer answered, ignoring the slight scratchiness in her voice. Neither Apollo, nor Phoenix, were convinced by that statement, but decided not to press the issue further. At least not until Athena let out a few dry coughs. Then concern overcame them again.

"Are you sure?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!" she answered, getting irritated by both of them, as indicated by Widget changing to angry red. With that, there were no further questions.

* * *

It was well past lunch time, and while she still hadn't eaten yet, the mere thought of food would make Athena's stomach churn. She didn't understand why, since she was usually in the mood for at least some of Eldoon's Noodles. Today, however, she didn't even want that! However, it isn't healthy to run on an empty stomach. So slowly, she forced herself out of her seat, trying her best to ignore her aching muscles, and made her way to the kitchen. Once there, Athena's stomach gurgled. Whether it was good or bad, she wasn't sure, but decided it was good since there were no waves on nausea.

' _I guess I should try to eat something_...' she thought before spotting a box of crackers, and deciding she could try to stomach a few. She took a small handful out of the box, and began munching down on one. Athena smiled a little upon tasting the salty, bland goodness, as Widget changed to happy green. She followed up with a few more crackers. Though by the time she got to the fifth one, her stomach gurgled again, and this time a cramp, a wave of nausea, and a burning throat followed. Widget then changed to sad dark blue.

' _Oh no_...' she thought as she put both hands over her mouth and rushed straight to the bathroom. She practically slammed the door as she locked it behind her and fell to her knees in front of the toilet.

' _It_ ' _s my day to clean the toilet_ , _anyway_. _I_ ' _ll just get started after I_ -' she started heaving before she could finish that train of thought, and soon the crackers, along with her dinner from the day before, came back up within a few heaves. Athena quickly flushed, in the hopes the others wouldn't hear her plight.

After what felt like an eternity, the waves of nausea finally went away. But now, black dots started to take over her vision. Suddenly, Athena felt heat emanating from herself, and her head began spinning. She tried to reach for the sink, to no avail. She wanted to stand, but she ended up lying down instead. No bath mat ever felt as soft, luxurious, cool, and pillow-like as the one beneath Athena Cykes did in that moment. As she began losing consciousness, she heard voices from the other side of the door. The last thing she remembered was hearing the door unlocking. Then everything went black.

* * *

This was a _doozy_ to write, but I got it done! I told myself I wouldn't rant about the BS logic behind autism and vaccines, and I will keep my word for the sake of all of you. I will say, however, there is _**absolutely**_ _ **zero**_ _ **correlation between the two**_!

*ahem* Anyway, about Athena's symptoms here: I did enough research on measles (again, vaccines FTW!) and what I found is, unlike chickenpox, measles rashes don't appear on the skin until at least 3 or 4 days into the illness. Before then, however, it is visible at the back of the throat. Something I'll make sure to mention again in the future chapters.

Hope you guys like it so far! Honest reviews, please! c:


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one was at quite a cliffhanger; now is time to resolve that cliffhanger and continue with the story!

Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter Two-

Darkness. That's all there was despite her battle for consciousness. But soon, she managed to win as her eyes opened and adjusted to her surroundings. She quickly noted she wasn't home, but she was in a bedroom, and a somewhat messy one at that; she concluded she was still at the law offices. She also noticed she was now wearing a baggy t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. The sweatpants were no doubt hers, but the t-shirt she wasn't sure. How long she had been out for, she didn't know either. She didn't get to think about it for very long either, as her stomach cramped again, this time sending her a different message. Athena groaned as she forced herself out of bed and straight to the bathroom, once again slamming the door behind her and locking it.

* * *

She wasn't sure how many minutes it had been, but before she knew it, she was dry heaving into a wastebasket while still on the toilet. Athena never felt so miserable; on top of this, her head was pounding, her muscles ached, her eyeballs were dry and itchy, and to say her throat was sore would be an understatement! As soon as she thought she was done, she heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Athena?" Oddly enough, it was Apollo. "Are you doing okay?" he asked, concern all too clear and concise in his voice.

"Nooo..." Athena moaned in response, noting her voice was even more hoarse than before.

"Alright." Apollo calmly spoke. "As soon as you're finished, I'll help you get back to bed, okay?"

* * *

"What even happened, anyway?" Athena tiredly asked, after finishing her cup of ginger ale Apollo got for her after helping her back into bed.

"You blacked out." Apollo answered. "You could've just told us you were sick." he frowned, thinking back on the incident.

* * *

-5 hours earlier-

 _Apollo briefly glanced up as he heard the bathroom door slam, not thinking much of it as he continued going over evidence for his case tomorrow. Just as he found something vital in one of the still-shots, he heard gagging and heaving coming from the bathroom, followed by a flush. Concerned, he got up from his seat, and knocked on the bathroom door._

 _"Athena?" No answer. "Athena, are you okay?!" Still no answer._

 _"What's wrong, Polly?" Trucy asked, having heard the commotion. "Is Athena taking too long?"_

 _"Not in the way you're probably thinking of." Apollo explained. "No, actually she might have gotten sick. I would check, but the door is locked."_

 _"No problem! I got this." Trucy remarked as she took a hairpin out of her hair and knelt down in front of the doorknob. As she concentrated on unlocking the lock, Phoenix came in to the room, and was immediately puzzled._

 _"What are you two doing?" he asked as he approached the pair, unsure of what crazy answer he would receive._

 _"Got it!" Trucy exclaimed upon unlocking the door and standing back up._

 _As the door was opened, all three drew back a step from the faint smell of vomit, and then found an unconscious Athena resting atop the bath mat as if it were a pillow. The poor girl was pale, aside from her nose, cheeks, and ears, which were all flushed, and her nose was running uncontrollably, forcing her to breathe through her mouth, which still had traces of vomit stuck to it. Apollo picked her up carefully, carried her over to the couch, and set her down. Phoenix grabbed an ear thermometer from the medicine cabinet, and put it to Athena's ear. Two anxious minutes went by before the thermometer beeped off, and they each stared at the results._

 _"102 degrees." Phoenix almost gulped. It could've been worse, but it was still bad. Not bad enough to take her to the hospital right away, but still really bad. "Okay, here's what we'll do: Apollo, you take Athena into the other room. I've got a feeling it'll be awhile before she comes to."_

 _"Okay." Apollo responded, as he carefully picked Athena up once more._

* * *

"So, after I brought you in here, Trucy decided to put you in some bedclothes." Apollo finished explaining. "I know I already said it, but it bears repeating: You could've just told us you felt sick. Why didn't you just take the day off?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"To tell the truth, I thought about it." Athena explained, avoiding eye contact. "But I decided against it because I thought it was just a cold, and I thought I could handle it." A pause. "...Basically, I wasn't thinking straight."

"We're sorry!" Widget spoke up, its face sad and dark blue once more.

Apollo gently rubbed Athena's back. "Hey, don't worry about it!" he said, while she detected sympathy in his voice. Right after he said that, however, she realized something.

"...I think I should see a doctor soon." she sullenly stated. "I mean, with that bug going around and all."

"You mean the measles epidemic?" Apollo asked. "I wouldn't worry about that! I mean, everyone here got their shot...Did you get your shot?" he asked, beginning to realize the situation.

"That's just it." Athena answered. "I can't get the shot because I'm severally allergic to one of the ingredients!"

Apollo sat stunned for a good solid minute. The possibility of Athena having measles was put out there. The nearest clinic was only about a block away, but neither he nor Mr. Wright would be able to take her until _after_ the trial, which was tomorrow. Trucy could have, had she fought with Mother Nature for her energy enough, but even then, the sun was already going down, and Phoenix didn't like the idea of his daughter being out after dark.

"Okay, I'll go do some calling around." he finally said, while he covered her up as she laid down. "In the mean time, you just get some rest, okay?"

Athena mumbled an 'okay' as she tried to relax. Though as Apollo was about to leave, she spoke up again. "Apollo?" she turned to his general direction.

"Yeah?" he stopped in his tracks.

"Could you get me some crackers and some water?" she asked.

"Sure, no problem!" he smiled as he left the room.

* * *

And there's Chapter 2! Hope you guys liked it. Honest reviews, please! c:


	3. Chapter 3

Yay! Chapter Three is finally here! Writer's block _really_ likes to get me at the worst of times! . Especially when I've got places to be soon! So, Athena's finally gonna go see a doctor about her illness, let's see how this plays out.

Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter Three-

 _Apollo hesitated to dial the number, but there weren't too many other choices, since every other person he called either didn't answer, or had turned him down, and the only other number was of the prosecutor he and Phoenix would be going up against in court the next day, so calling him was out of the question. He sighed as he finished dialing and waited, listening to the ringing from the other end, waiting for someone to answer. Finally, somebody did answer._

 _"Klavier Gavin speaking." The cool, calm, and collected former rock star spoke._

 _"Um, Prosecutor...?" Apollo started before he was cut off._

 _"Ah, Herr Forehead! It's been awhile." Klavier casually spoke._

 _"Yeah, it has...Uh, look, I have a favor to ask of you." Apollo hesitantly stated._

 _"I'm listening."_

 _"It's about Athena. She's really sick, and she thinks she has the measles." Apollo explained. "The problem is, we can't get her to the clinic before tomorrow afternoon. So I've been calling around to see if anyone else can get her there sooner."_

 _There was a pause before Klavier answered._

 _"I'm booked tonight, but I can get her there first thing tomorrow morning."_

 _"That'll work." Apollo stated. "The sooner the better!"_

 _"I'll be there around eight then." Klavier confirmed._

 _"Perfect. You got the address for the Agency, don't you?" Apollo asked._

 _"Ja, I've got it written down." Klavier answered._

 _"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then."_

* * *

-The Next Morning-

It turned out to be a _very_ long night for the Wright Anything Agency. Between Athena's sickness, and Trucy's monthly friend, the toilet flushing kept Phoenix and Apollo up for half the night. Both men only managed to get a few hours of sleep each.

Now, in an hour, they would have to be at the courthouse for their case, but they wanted to make sure the other problem was taken care of first. Finally, he arrived.

"Is Fräulein still here?" Klavier asked Apollo.

"I'll go get her." Apollo answered as he went to go wake Athena.

"We really can't thank you enough for this, Prosecutor Gavin." Phoenix stated.

"It's no trouble, Herr Wright!" Klavier remarked. "If it is measles, I totally understand how she's feelin'."

"You had measles?" Phoenix asked, a bit surprised.

"Nein. I had rubella, and I got the shot shortly afterwards. But it was still miserable." Klavier explained.

As the two men conversed, Trucy and Apollo helped Athena out of bed and into the waiting room of the law office. Athena kept her eyes shut to block out the now obtrusive light, and occasionally sniffled in an attempt to fight her runny nose. Yet still, Klavier was unfazed.

"Guten Morgen, Fräulein." Klavier greeted, as he bent down to her level in an attempt to make eye contact with her.

Athena mumbled a "good morning" while only barely opening her eyes to look at him, before shutting them again.

"Sorry, but it's really bright!" Widget shouted.

Athena then felt something on her face and opened her eyes to see she was now wearing a pair of sunglasses, courtesy of Klavier Gavin.

"Better?" he asked, with a soft smile.

"Yeah, a lot. Thanks." Athena weakly answered.

Apollo and Phoenix headed out as soon as they knew Athena was in capable hands. Klavier, Athena, and Trucy headed out shortly after, reaching the clinic via Klavier's motorcycle. As they approached the front, they saw about a dozen or so anti-vaxxer "activists" protesting in front of Hickfield Clinic, which had advertised free MMR vaccines for anyone who needed them.

"Scheisse..." Klavier muttered under his breath as he carried Athena inside. He had heard about these protests going on in front of every hospital and clinic throughout Los Angeles, but was surprised not even Hickfield was spared of the backwards thinking "activists". He could only hope in vain they would find their cause to be a lost one.

* * *

-Later-

Two hours went by since they first arrived. Both girls had grown irritated of sitting on uncomfortable chairs and watching people coming in after they did, and seeing a doctor before them. So was Klavier, but at least he had his phone to distract him, checking for the time or an incoming text every so often.

"Athena Cykes!" A nurse called out as she emerged after another few minutes of waiting.

"Finally!" Athena groaned, a little louder than she intended, while the nurse escorted the trio to an exam room.

"We'll have a doctor come look at you shortly." She stated before leaving.

"'Shortly'? More like 10 minutes at least!" Trucy muttered, and Athena agreed with her. Not even two minutes after she said that, however, the door opened. "I stand corrected." she mumbled.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cyrano." A male physician entered the room. "So, Athena, you think you might have the measles. Why don't we take a look see?" he said, as he stuck a thermometer under her tongue. About a minute passed before it beeped off. "103 degrees." he stated as he took the thermometer out.

"It was 102 yesterday..." Athena mentioned.

"So it's gone up. If it goes up any higher, cold bath or ice packs." Dr. Cyrano said, bringing his stethoscope to her chest. "Okay, let's check your heartbeat. Deep breath." As Athena followed his instructions, she ended up letting out a cough harsh enough for the sunglasses to fall off her face. "Alright. I'll check your eyes and throat next." he said, as he checked her eyes with a small light, which was easier said than done, as she kept squinting and wincing from the light. Next, he checked her throat, and saw bluish-white spots inside her mouth and throat. "Uh oh. Koplik's Spot? That ain't good. Looks like your hunch was right."

"It's measles?" Athena dreadfully asked, putting the sunglasses back on.

"Yup." Dr. Cyrano confirmed, as he grabbed a copy of a pamphlet for patients who have caught measles, and handing it to her. "Normally, I would also go ahead and give you the vaccine, but since you mentioned in the paperwork you're allergic, I'll have to make an exception. I just hope your friends here got their shots already."

"I have!" Trucy responded.

"As have I." Klavier added.

"Ah, good!" Dr. Cyrano said. "Then I'll go ahead and get you the Vitamin A supplements for you to take for the next couple of days. These will help immensely with your eyes. Also, make sure to read up on that pamphlet, since it has all the info you're gonna need while you're recovering."

After giving Athena the small bottle of supplements, and scheduling a follow-up appointment, Dr. Cyrano sent the trio on their way. Klavier once again carried Athena out, while she tried to rest her eyes, while Trucy followed behind them, reading over the pamphlet. As they made their way out of the clinic, Trucy and Klavier stopped in their tracks. This made Athena open her eyes, and saw _why_ they stopped. Only one thought came to her mind:

 _What is he_ _doing here_?

* * *

And there you have it! Another cliffhanger, yay! As I said at the start of the chapter, I'm leaving to go to an anime convention tomorrow, so I'm glad I got this done when I did! :D

So I said in chapter 1, I would mention the rashes in the throat (aka Koplik's Spot) in-chapter later on, and I did! Poor Athena can expect to see rashes on her skin soon enough. Vitamin A is also a really good thing to take if you have Pink Eye (which is one of many symptoms of measles). I was also told that I shouldn't put thoughts is single quotes, so I decided to give that a try here. Let me know what you guys think.

Who is the mysterious figure entering the clinic? Stay tuned for Chapters 4 and 5 to find out!

Honest reviews, please! c:


	4. Chapter 4

Here's chapter four, everyone! c: Before I start, I made sure to keep typos at few to none, checking over them numerous times. So hopefully, no issues there. Also, while I have chapter five of this story in rough draft, I may try to start on the next chapter of The Great Speckled Attorney next, since that story is almost done. I just got back from that convention on Monday, so I'm still a bit out of it.

Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter Four-

While Athena, Klavier, and Trucy were sitting in the clinic waiting room, the trial in Courtroom No. 5 was underway.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Walt Cousteau." the Judge said, as stoic as ever.

"The defense team is ready, Your Honor." Phoenix stated, as calm and collected as ever.

The prosecution for this case was Simon Blackquill, the "Twisted Samurai" himself. His back faced the defense team, as per usual, before turning to face them. He hadn't changed much since his conviction was overturned, and he was a free man once more. Today, however, would be slightly different.

"Er...I presume the prosecution is also ready." His Honor said. "Though, if I may ask, Prosecutor Blackquill...What happened to your eyes?"

The defense also noticed as this was pointed out. Prosecutor Blackquill was indeed wearing a pair of rather dark shades over his eyes. Which was very unusual, as he really was not the type of person to wear sunglasses indoors.

"My eyes do not concern this case, or you, Your Baldness." Blackquill insisted, his voice slightly scratchy.

"Very well." said the Judge. "You may proceed with the opening statement."

In response, Blackquill gave a whistle, and his trusty hawk, Taka, perched himself atop the Judge's seat.

"Er...Or I could, I suppose..." His Honor said. This was the first time for Blackquill to do this since his prison days, but even then, no one thought much of it. And so, the trial began with the opening statement of the defendant, who was arrested a few nights back on suspicion of robbery when he had been spotted- _of course!_ -walking away from the crime scene by a patrol car, and not one, but _two_ witnesses. On top of this, there was- now who saw this coming? -incriminating evidence found on the defendant's personage, thus linking him to the crime! Just a typical case for Phoenix Wright and Apollo Justice, only this time, there was no autopsy report, as there was only a living victim. The owner of the convenience store that was robbed that night, was called to the stand first.

"Witness. Name and occupation." Blackquill commanded, his voice still scratchy.

"Jeremy Icksby. *cough*" the witness spoke through his medical mask. "I'm a convenience store owner."

"Are you alright, witness?" His Honor asked. "You don't sound well."

"I'm *sniffle* fine, Your Honor!" Jeremy chimed. "Just a little cold, that's all."

"Well, alright." said the Judge. "Your testimony, if you would then."

"Okay, let's see..." Jeremy muttered as he tapped his right temple. "...That night, I was in my usual routine, and it was around 12:30 A.M. when I got around to counting the money in the register. Out of nowhere, the door swung open, and in came a robber!" he suddenly shouted. "The next thing I knew, I was at knife point-"

"Objection!" the infamous word rang out through the courtroom, its source being Apollo Justice. "Mr. Icksby, I'd like you to take a look at this." he stated, as he presented the still-shot he was examining the day before.

"Oh!" Jeremy exclaimed. "That's one of the still-shots Jackson gave you to examine, isn't it?" A pause. "...What about it?" he asked, as he cocked his head in confusion.

"You said you were held at knife point?" Apollo inquired.

"Yeah, I was-"

Apollo shook his head. "Really? Look at the still-shot again. Does that even _remotely_ look like a knife to you?"

"Ack!" Jeremy yelped which resulted in a flurry of coughs. Indeed, it looked nothing like a knife, but rather...

"I-is that a gun?!" the Judge yelped.

"Indeed." Apollo gave a small nod. "The witness was at gunpoint, not at knife point!"

"Objection! What difference does it make?" Blackquill argued.

"Objection! It makes a world of difference!" Phoenix cut in. "The fact Mr. Cousteau only had a knife on him, and no gun, could only mean it wasn't him!"

"Objection! He could have disposed of it!" Blackquill argued.

"Objection! Did you ever find the gun?" Phoenix counter-argued. There was a pause.

"...Well, Prosecutor?" the Judge inquired. There was another pause while Blackquill, oddly enough, gulped and took a deep breath before giving his answer.

"...No. We found no such thing." Blackquill admitted. Murmurs from the gallery spawned before the Judge banged his gavel.

"Order! Order!" His Honor shouted. Another pause. "It seems we have new information coming to light. Mr. Icksby! You better explain yourself!" the Judge ordered, as he knitted his brow.

"Um...Well..." Jeremy stammered before letting out a few more coughs. "You should ask Jackson. He was there, too!"

"'Jackson'?" the Judge inquired.

"Jackson Potts." Jeremy answered. "A loyal employee of mine."

"Ah, I see." the Judge remarked. "Bailiff! Find this witness. In the meantime, we will take a ten minute-"

"Twenty." Blackquill interrupted with a gulp.

"E-excuse me?" His Honor asked, not hearing very clearly what it was Blackquill just said.

"Twenty minutes. And not a second longer." Blackquill ordered, his scratchy voice now slightly strained.

"Um...Very well, then!" the Judge couldn't have been more confused. "Court will resume in twenty minutes." And so, the recess began with the bang of the gavel.

* * *

-10 Minutes Later-

During the first half of the twenty minute recess, Jeremy Icksby had wandered off, forcing Walt and his defense team to search for him. It was one thing to mistake a knife for a gun, now to make someone else testify about it? Very sketchy, that Icksby. The three-way search led Phoenix to check the men's room, since the other likely places had already been searched.

"Mr. Icksby?" he called out, and received no answer. "Mr. Icksby, are you in here?" he tried again, but once again, received no answer. After accepting a third attempt would be futile, he turned to leave when he heard a heavy heave, followed by a flush, come from one of the stalls. Like any concerned citizen, Phoenix approached the stall of the source, and knocked.

"Are you alright?" he asked. There was a short pause, which didn't surprise him at that point.

"Y-yes...Everything is fine..." the man inside answered, before he begun to gag again. Phoenix almost immediately recognized the harsh, yet now scratchy and strained voice, and knocked again.

"Prosecutor Blackquill?!"

* * *

And there's Chapter 4! So, I didn't put too much effort into the court case, since it's not totally plot relevant, and won't be a part of this story for much longer (in fact, if you guys want to do your own side-story on it, feel free. Just credit me if you do, 'kay?).

But that aside, le gasp! What is becoming of Blackquill? :o Stay tuned for Chapter 5 to find out!

Honest reviews, please! c:


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five is finally here! I was going to put the last chapter of I'm (Not) Fine! up first, but I'm kinda having a bit of writer's block on it, and this chapter is ready to go!

Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter Five-

"Court will now reconvene." the Judge stoically stated. Everyone had returned to the courtroom after the generously long recess. Even Icksby was found, after getting caught trying to leave the courthouse. Though one certain individual failed to show up. "Hm? Now where exactly is the Prosecution?"

* * *

-Meanwhile-

Blackquill exited the men's room once he had regained control of his stomach, no longer allowing himself to heave. He didn't think he'd take even a second longer than originally planned, nor did he think anyone would try to bother him during his time in there like Wright did, even though that was a coincidence. He also didn't think his fever would try to take over despite the stick-on fever patch he applied to his forehead earlier that morning. But there he was, fighting the black dots in his already darkened vision, and occasionally leaning against the wall for support.

"I should have given this case to another prosecutor..." he thought aloud, deeply regretting his decision to take on the case the day before. "Had I known this flu would get this bad, I would have stayed home to recover." As his vision grew weaker, he spotted a hallway bench a few short feet away and leaned into it, surrendering to his ailment as his world grew black.

* * *

-Meanwhile-

It wasn't the first time a trial had continued on without a prosecutor, and since Blackquill hadn't returned, there was no other choice but to continue.

"Witness. Your name and occupation, if you would." the Judge ordered on Blackquill's behalf.

"Jackson Potts." the somewhat suspicious witness answered. "I'm an employee at Icksby's convenience store."

"And you were there when you witnessed the robbery?" the Judge asked.

"Yup." Jackson answered as he began his testimony. "I was at the convenience store well after midnight, and I was in the middle of cleaning the facilities. Around 12:30, I heard Icksby scream and from the corner I witnessed the robbery!"

"Hold it! Would you mind specifying which corner exactly?" Apollo asked, pressing for more information.

"You see on the diagram, that hallway leading the facilities? That corner!" Jackson confirmed.

"Would you mind adding that to your testimony?" Apollo requested.

"Sure, no prob!" said Jackson. Just then, the doors swung open, and a bailiff entered the courtroom.

"Your Honor! We found Prosecutor Blackquill. He's collapsed from a fever!" the bailiff announced.

The defense team let out a near unison "Wait what?!" while the gallery broke out into a confused uproar the Judge could only bring down long enough to receive all of Jackson's testimony on paper and suspend the trial. Nobody could really blame each other for their reactions; after all, it was Simon Blackquill the bailiff named dropped. Simon Blackquill, the Twisted Samurai, a prosecutor who served time, who narrowly escaped execution upon his appeal and overturn, supposedly collapsing from a dinky little fever? To say it was ridiculous would have been an understatement! Though Phoenix and Apollo would find this to be the truth, as they rushed to where Blackquill had been discovered unconscious. When they arrived, the bailiffs on sight had sat Blackquill upright in order to try and wake him, and removed his shades, revealing the whole of his flushed face. It wasn't long after the commotion began that Blackquill had regained consciousness, though even then he kept his dry, irritated eyes shut in order to block out the blinding light.

"Blackquill? Blackquill, can you hear me?" Phoenix asked, at a normal volume.

"Stop...Shouting..." Blackquill whined softly.

"Mr. Wright?" Apollo motioned for the other lawyer to approach him.

"Yeah?"

"Call it a hunch, but I think we should get him to a doctor." Apollo stated.

"Agreed." Phoenix remarked. Blackquill was a free man once more, and thus it was no longer up to authorities to take over should his health be compromised, like it was now. "Why a hunch though?" he inquired.

"His symptoms kinda remind me of Athena's." Apollo sullenly explained as he briefly glanced at Blackquill, who now had his shades back on, while his head was turned as if to listen in on the two lawyers' conversation. "Either way, better safe than sorry." he added as he faced Phoenix once more.

"Alright, we'll take him over to Hickfield, then. You take his right side, I'll take his left." Phoenix instructed, as he and Apollo approached Blackquill, who for once didn't put up much of a fight as they helped him stand up, and escorted him to Phoenix's car*, where they would have him lay down in the backseat on the way to the clinic. The ride itself was mostly quiet, aside from Blackquill mumbling something against riding in the backseat; it probably wasn't bringing back good memories for him. Though after awhile, the Twisted Samurai found himself dozing off for what felt like a few short minutes, as they had arrived at the clinic the next time he opened his eyes. It was when they entered the waiting room of the clinic, after passing by at least a dozen anti-vax protesters, and entered the waiting room where they came across Athena, Klavier, and Trucy, who were about to go back to the Agency as Dr. Cyrano had already sent them on their way.

"Is he alright?" Trucy asked after a brief stunned silence.

"S-Simon...?" Athena barely managed to slur.

"Do I look alright to you?" Blackquill hoarsely asked, as Apollo helped him sit down.

"He got sick and passed out during the trial today." Phoenix explained, while Apollo got one of the clipboards from the reception desk, and handed it to Blackquill so he could fill out the paperwork. "So what did they say about Athena?" he asked, giving the girl a look of sympathy.

"It's measles." Klavier answered. "They're certain of it."

"Great...What did they say to do about it?" Phoenix sighed, then asked.

"They gave a pamphlet full of information." Trucy answered, handing said pamphlet to him. In it, was a summary of measles, a list of symptoms, a list of different treatment options, and of course, a prevention by getting vaccinated recommendation. It also said measles is often resolved within about two or three weeks. Phoenix handed the pamphlet back to Trucy, knowing the next few weeks would be rough, especially for Athena.

"Alright, you two take her back to the law office. Apollo and I will stay here with Blackquill." he said, as Apollo turned in the now complete paperwork to the reception desk.

"Okay, Daddy!" Trucy responded, as the trio left the clinic.

* * *

-Two Hours Later-

The three men had grown weary of waiting. Blackquill no longer bothered to stifle his coughs, but kept his mouth covered each time. He also got rid of the fever patch as its effects had worn off. Not that it helped much to begin with. He leaned back in his seat as he grew more impatient with each passing minute. Hickfield Clinic was not doing itself any favors making the Twisted Samurai wait.

"Simon Blackquill!" a nurse called out to the waiting room.

 _About time!_ All three men thought in near unison, as Phoenix and Apollo helped Blackquill stand up and walk to follow the nurse.

"Dr. Cyrano will be with you shortly!" said the nurse, after she escorted them to an exam room. Two minutes passed before the door opened again.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cyrano." the doctor greeted. "So, Simon, you think you might have a bad flu. Why don't we see for ourselves?" he said, as he first checked Blackquill's temperature, which the thermometer read as 103 degrees. Next, he checked his heartbeat and breathing, then his stomach, then his eyes and ears, and then his throat.

"Oh oh. Well, it may _seem_ like a bad flu, except I'm seeing Koplik's Spots in your mouth and throat." Dr. Cyrano stated. "You sure you still want to go through with a blood test?" he asked, in regards to the paperwork.

"With that illness going around, it would better to, yes." Blackquill stoically answered.

"Alright." Dr. Cyrano said, as he got the necessary supplies for a blood test. "I'll just need you to roll your sleeve back."

As Blackquill followed the doctor's instructions, Phoenix looked away, not wanting to see a needle or blood. Apollo continued to watch until the needle was almost in Blackquill's arm, then he too looked away. Blackquill, on the other hand, didn't even bat an eye at the needle getting injected into his arm, or at his blood being drawn. Once the small amount necessary was taken, the needle was removed, and replaced with gauze and medical tape.

"Now the blood test results will take about 24 hours, but I'm certain it's measles." Dr. Cyrano stated, as he grabbed a pamphlet. "Now you mention a severe egg allergy, so I'm gonna have to make yet another exception on giving the vaccine."

"'Another'?" Blackquill inquired.

"Yeah." Dr. Cyrano confirmed. "Only her allergy was to something else."

Right away, he knew the doctor was referring to Athena. So the poor girl was sick with measles, as well. He thought he had heard it mentioned earlier in the waiting room, but he was still so out of it at the time, he didn't really listen. It was now all that was on his mind, even after being given the pamphlet and vitamin A supplements, and after being sent on his way.

"Alright, we're gonna get you home now." Apollo said to him.

"Are you sure about that?" Blackquill asked.

"...Yeah? Don't you wanna get home?" Phoenix questioned.

"The Space Center is quite a ways from here. Would you be so willing to risk spreading the illness so far? And how do you know I'll be regularly checked on?" He inquired.

Both lawyers pondered at those questions. He had a good point; if they were to take him home, Cosmos Space Center would face the possibility of being quarantined. So did their law office, because Athena, but at least they knew the rest of them were vaccinated, and could just as easily take on cases anywhere. Besides that, they didn't know who would be able to care for him. Taka, Ponco, and Clonco would each only be able to do so much for him, and his sister, Aura, was still serving time for that 'incident' awhile back. As for the other humans there, well, they really couldn't be certain. Ultimately, they decided Blackquill was right, and took him back to the law office instead.

* * *

-Later-

Athena was in the middle of trying to rest, though it was easier said than done. All she could think about was Simon. She didn't understand what was wrong with him! After all, it wasn't like him to get sick and pass out from a fever; and those shades over his eyes made her wonder if he had the same illness as her. She wouldn't have to wonder for long, as she heard familiar voices coming from the hallway, seconds before the door opened, seeing three familiar men enter, as near-blinding light poured in.

"Ah, sorry. Did we wake you?" Apollo asked, noticing Athena sitting up wide awake, after he and Phoenix helped Blackquill to the edge of the bed.

"No, I was already up." Athena answered, before diverting her attention. "Are you feeling alright, Simon?" There was a pause before he turned to face her, a look of fatigue dominating his usual icy, intimidating demeanor.

"Is that a sarcastic question, Cykes-dono?" he finally asked, after being helped out of his clothes, leaving him in just his undershirt and boxers. "Because I actually feel quite terrible." he admitted, as he scooted up so he could be covered.

"We're gonna get you some water, okay?" Apollo said to Blackquill, knowing the man was probably dehydrated, before he and Phoenix left the room.

"You're burning up!" Athena nearly exclaimed after laying her hand on his forehead.

"Hmph. You're not faring any better." Blackquill remarked after placing the back of his hand on her forehead.

"That's because the doctor said I have measles..." Athena groaned.

"Heh. You too?" Blackquill asked with a chuckle. Or rather, what would have been a chuckle, had he not started coughing right afterwards. As soon as the coughing subsided, he rubbed at his throat and groaned.

"You got measles, too?!" Widget shouted upon changing to surprised yellow. Blackquill winced as the shouting triggered his ear pain.

"Widget, quiet down!" Athena snapped at the robotic necklace, before she too entered a small coughing fit. As it subsided, Apollo came back with a cup of water in either hand, one for each of them.

"So, here's the plan so far: Gavin said he'll take care of both of you while Mr. Wright and I are busy, since we have a few more cases to look into after this one. Of course, we'll still check on you, too. And so will Trucy." he explained, as they each took a few sips of their water. He then noticed Blackquill glaring at him as he drank, as if he wanted to say something. Apollo had a good idea of what it was. "And we'll check on Taka next time we see him." he added.

 _Skreeet!_ A screech came from just outside the window, its source being Taka.

"...Or he'll come to us!" Athena remarked tiredly, as Widget changed to happy green.

"He knew I had left without him." Blackquill remarked with a smug smile. "Do let him in, Justice-dono."

Apollo was reluctant to let the hawk in, but ultimately did so. As he opened the window, Taka glided in, perching between his master, and Athena, to which his master petted him. After that, Apollo closed the window most of the way, and left the room, so the pair could get some rest.

"So it seems we're quarantined together again." Blackquill remarked.

"...Again?" Athena asked, quite puzzled.

"Perhaps you can't recall too well, but measles hit this city once before." Blackquill explained. "It began at a certain theme park, and quickly spread. You were only five at the time, while I was going on sixteen."

"I think I _do_ remember that, actually!" said Athena. "I mean, I remember your sister and my mother wouldn't let either of us leave home during that time."

"Out of fear one or both of us would become ill." Blackquill added.

"And now we're both quarantined _and_ ill!" Athena stated.

"Life is so ironic!" said Widget.

At that moment, the two shared a laugh, followed by a small coughing fit. After the coughing let up, they both decided to get some much needed sleep. They laid down facing each other, fully knowing neither was facing the virus alone.

* * *

And that's Chpater 5! Holy crap, longest chapter I've written so far! OAO I actually debated breaking this into two chapters, but it's already all done, so I'll leave it as one big chapter!

So if it wasn't clear, I kinda ship Cykesquill, but more so as a family ship than as lovers or friends. Simon is more like a step-brother to Athena than anything else, if you ask me! Next chapter, however, I may experiment with Klathena a little. ;)

*I'm aware Phoenix may not have his driver's license even now in the timeline, but you don't have many excuses when you've been a dad for almost a decade! XD Besides, it was just for the story's sake.

Also, another way to diagnose measles, besides looking for typical symptoms (i.e. Koplik's Spots) is to have either a blood or saliva test done, even though either way, it takes about 24 hours to get any results.

Honest reviews, please! c:


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, guys! Guess who's back with a new chapter! :D

So, before I start, I have to confess Birth of the Dragon Herald is going to be delayed a little further, because I don't know where to take the next chapter. T.T If anyone has any suggestions, that'll be great! Just PM me, you know where to find me. c:

With that announcement out of the way, on with the story! Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter Six-

 _"I'm sooo bored..." the 5-year-old ginger haired girl whined. She didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to leave home; her mother had said something about not wanting her to get sick, but little Athena didn't quite get why that was when she had left home several times before, and came back perfectly healthy! But there she was, staring up at the ceiling, unsure what to do next. She had watched the DVDs she had enough times to last a lifetime, same with the books she owned. Speaking of books, she diverted her attention to the only other person there; Simon, the closest Athena had to a big brother, also wasn't allowed to leave home for whatever reason. Though unlike Athena, the raven haired teen probably knew why they were 'quarantined'. He was nose deep into one of his mangas, a bigger 'fatter' volume this time, but even little Athena could tell he too had grown weary of having to stay home all day. Curious if he had managed to tune out his surroundings, Athena decided to surprise Simon._

 _"Rawr!" She shouted as she jumped up from behind him._

 _"_ _ **Shinigami**_ _!" the teenage boy shouted out of surprise as he was snapped back to reality, to which Athena couldn't help but laugh. "Do not scare me like that, Athena-chan!" he tried to scold the girl as he pulled her onto his lap, but little Athena could tell he was still a bit startled._

 _"Sorry, Simon." she said. "But I'm sooo bored! Why do we have to stay home all the time, anyway?" As the question was brought up, it had become apparent to Simon that Athena had yet to receive a full explanation as to why they were being quarantined, despite the fact they were both in perfect health. Perhaps her mother thought she wouldn't understand? True, Athena was only 5 years old, but she still deserved an answer. Simon decided to give it to her straight._

 _"Well, Athena-chan, do you remember when we went to Disneyland last summer?" he asked._

 _"How can I forget?" she rhetorically asked. "The spinning tea cups is still my favorite ride! What about it?"_

 _"Well you see, about a month ago, an unnamed park-goer brought a sickness known as the measles with them to the theme park." Simon continued to explain. "They got several others sick, and now the city is under what's known as an 'epidemic'."_

 _"An 'epidemic'?" Athena repeated the word, trying to understand its definition. "But what does have to do with us? And isn't there a shot for measles?" she asked._

 _"There is a vaccine." he answered. "However, do you know how you can't eat jell-o, and I can't have eggs?" he asked, hoping she would make the connection._

 _"Yes. 'Cause I'm allergic to gelatin and you're allergic to eggs." she answered._

 _"Two of the ingredients in the vaccine are gelatin and chicken eggs." he confirmed. "If either of us got the vaccine, we would end up going into horrible allergic reactions."_

 _Athena pondered a moment as the situation finally began to make sense to her. So_ that _was why her mother worried about her getting sick. She can't get vaccinated! Still, she had one other question. "But if everyone else is vaccinated, there's nothing to worry about, right?"_

 _"If only it were that simple!" he sighed, reaching for his tablet to check his Facebook inbox, the ticker notifying him of his sister's reply to her ongoing argument with an anti-vaxxer. He thought he should show Athena. "See here." he said as he pulled up the post with the argument in the comment section. "My sister has been arguing with this other person, who believes nobody should get a vaccine even if they can."_

 _"Why does he think that?" she asked as she skimmed the comment thread, despite not being the best reader._

 _"Well, anti-vaxxers have their reasons." Simon explained. "Granted, they're terrible reasons: believing vaccines cause certain disorders when they don't, or believing the ingredients to be toxic to the body, when usually they're not."_

 _"Maybe if you have an allergy." Athena remarked._

 _"Well, that's what Aura is trying to reason." he said. He would have quoted a comment of hers, had her vocabulary not become so...'colorful'. "But it seems Jeremy won't have any of it." he shook his head as he put the tablet aside. People like Jeremy would end up learning the hard way, with thinking like that._

 _"Hmm..." Athena hummed. Her questions were answered, yet her boredom had yet to be taken care of. At least she knew she had someone to play with!_

* * *

"I wonder why I was dreaming about that..." Athena pondered in a whisper while she was sitting upright in bed, scratching at the measles rashes that had begun to break out on her skin the day before. She looked over at Simon, who was sleeping peacefully beside her, while Taka rested atop his master, perhaps as a means to guard him. The blood test results came back positive for measles, and rashes had begun spreading on Simon's skin as well. Though his didn't seem to bother him like Athena's did with her. She smiled a little at him before noticing his ice pack was about to leave his forehead. She pulled it back so it stayed on his head, while he exhaled in content.

 _Well, I guess it makes sense._ She thought, before her frustration with her rashes made her gradually get out of bed to see if the medicine cabinet had something in the itch-relief category.

* * *

Getting to the medicine cabinet while still running a fever and dealing with muscle aches was easier said than done. Not that it sounded easy to begin with. She managed to get about halfway, before having to lean against her desk and then plopping down onto the nearby couch to try to get over her dizziness. She knew better than to forget her ice pack, yet that's exactly what she did! Now Athena was beginning to regret her decision to take care of this herself. And the worst part: the rashes were still itching! As soon as she sat down, she found she wasn't alone once more.

"Fraulein?" Klavier spoke, concern and surprise dominant in his voice. "What are you doing out of bed?" he asked.

"I was trying to get some lotion for my rashes." Athena explained, tilting her head back from dizziness. Klavier then sat down beside her.

"Good thing I went and got some then!" he coolly remarked, opening the bottle of calamine lotion he had gotten from the drugstore just earlier, and had Athena turn to face him so he could apply the cooling lotion to her face and neck. Which she enjoyed quite a bit as evidenced by the looks of satisfaction and content written clearly on her face.

"Mm...That feels so nice!" she sighed as he finished, and set the bottle aside.

"Thank you!" Widget squeaked.

"No problem!" Klavier said. "There's more where that came from. In the meantime, how about we get you back to bed, Fräulein?"

"Okay, that sounds good." Athena tiredly said before leaning onto him. "But I'm too tired to get up..."

"We can chill here awhile, too." he added. "Herr Forehead cut the lights before he left, so we'll be fine until he comes back." As Klavier pulled Athena onto his lap, it took him back to when he caught rubella all those years ago, and his brother, Kristoph, dropped everything to take care of him. His mind wandered as he recalled the events of that day, and he couldn't help but grimace at the bittersweet memories.

"Are you alright?" a concerned voice snapped Klavier back to reality, it's source being Athena Cykes. "You look sad."

"Huh? Oh, ja, Fräulein. I'm fine. I was just reminiscing, that's all." Klavier stuttered out.

"Really? What about?" she asked.

"About when I got rubella." he hesitantly explained.

"You're allergic to the vaccine too?!" Widget interrupted, its face turning to surprised yellow.

"Actually, no. You know those anti-vaxxers you hear on the news every so often?" Klavier asked.

"Yeah." Athena grumbled at the mentioning of those stupid crazy people.

"They're really annoying!" Widget yelled, its face changing to angry red.

"Well, unfortunately, my mom and pop follow that cult." Klavier stated with a heavy sigh. "Their backwards thinking was the reason I came down with rubella when I was ten. My bro was a senior in high school at the time, and academics were a priority for him." A pause. "But when he saw I was sick, he called himself in sick and took care of me. He even took me to the doctor where we both got our MMR shots." He stopped right there as he stared up at the ceiling. Talking about his brother had become a difficult, and even sensitive topic for Klavier; most days it was easy to forget about what happened and move on with life, but on days like these, it was hard not to think about him. After a few deep breaths, Klavier redirected his attention to Athena. "Anyway, Fräulein, you don't have to worry. Measles won't get to me."

"That's good to know." Athena remarked. Even though she could read the sadness in his voice all too well, she decided not to press the issue further; from the stories she was told alone, she couldn't blame him for feeling sad. It was like her trying to talk about Simon when he was still serving time. As she decided to stop thinking about it, fatigue overcame her, and she leaned onto Klavier once more.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

Athena nodded and closed her eyes. Maybe it was because she spent so much of her time sleeping, but she couldn't get herself to rest. Not that she had the energy to do much else since she first got sick. Who knew something so little could drain so much out of a person? Needless to say, she knew how Trucy felt every four weeks! She briefly opened her eyes again as she heard Klavier quietly singing.

 _Hey Jude, don't make it bad_

 _Take a sad song and make it better_

 _Remember to let her into your heart_

 _Then you can start to make it better_

 _Hey Jude, don't be afraid_

 _You were made to go out and get her_

 _The minute you let her under your skin_

 _Then you begin to make it better_

 _And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain_

 _Don't carry the world upon your shoulders_

 _For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool_

 _By making his world a little colder_

 _Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah_

 _Hey Jude, don't let me down_

 _You have found her, now go and get her_

 _Remember to let her into your heart_

 _Then you can start to make it better_

 _So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin_

 _You're waiting for someone to perform with_

 _And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do_

 _The movement you need is on your shoulder_

 _Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah yeah_

 _Hey Jude, don't make it bad_

 _Take a sad song and make it better_

 _Remember to let her under your skin_

 _Then you'll begin to make it_

 _Better better better better better better, oh_

 _Nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah nah, hey Jude_

That song left a bitter taste in Klavier's mouth, but it seemed to help as Athena drifted off to sleep soon after. Noting her flushed face, he gently set her down, careful not to wake her up, and retrieved her ice pack and a blanket. After he came back, he set her back onto his lap, somehow not waking her in the process. Once the ice pack was atop her head, and they were both covered with the blanket, he leaned his head back while gently stroking her hair, and soon dozed off with her.

* * *

And that's Chapter 6! So, in case you were wondering about Klavier's story in this chapter, I recommend reading Brotherly Love to get the full context.

As for the symptoms mentioned in this chapter, measles rashes either do or don't itch, depending on the individual case. Thus why Athena had itchy rashes, while Blackquill was spared of itchiness.

As for the Patient Zero case at Disneyland a few years ago, from their reckoned birth years on Wiki (Athena- 2009 ; Simon- 1999) they would have been about 5-6 and 15-16 respectively.

Anyway, I'm rambling at this point! Next chapter will be here soon, and hopefully I can continue on Birth of the Dragon Herald (again, if you have any suggestions, PM me!).

Until then: Honest reviews, please! c:


	7. Chapter 7

Yesss! This fic is finally getting updated! I greatly apologize for how long it took; I was on a writer's block for a long time, and actually almost lost interest in the series. Everything's fine now, though!

That said...I should announce there will only be two chapters left of the story, this one being the second-to-last.

With all that out of the way, enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter 7-

 _"Let's do this!" Athena exclaimed at the start of the infamous Dr. Mario theme. The two had only just finished building a pillow fort, and were now playing the aformentioned game on Simon's 3DS._

 _"No, I need a red pill, RED PILL!" the raven-haired teen shouted in excitement and frustration, already absorbed into the game._

 _"The bottle's filling up fast!" the ginger-haired girl squealed._

 _"Aah!" they both yelped as the words "GAME OVER" came up on screen, accompanied by its own theme._

 _"Maybe starting on level 15 wasn't such a good idea after all..." Athena remarked with a hint of regret._

 _"Let's start again, but on level one." Simon suggested, to which he got a cheerful 'okay' in response._

* * *

Simon reminisced as he heard that same track, which he had been trying to tune out for the past few minutes, to no avail. And when he heard Apollo shout in discouragement, followed by the others shushing the loud attorney, he couldn't help but try to chuckle softly only to end up coughing loudly. He caught his breath for a few moments, but soon found himself sitting up, before he went into a harder coughing fit. He only managed to catch his breath for real when a hand started to gently rub and pat his back. It surprised him to see it wasn't Athena, who, despite being awoken from the coughing, was still lying down somewhat and clearly half awake, struggling to keep her eyes open. She must have wanted to make sure he was alright.

"I'm fine, Athena." he assured her. "It was just a cough this time."

She slowly nodded at hearing those words as she fell back asleep.

"She really worries over you." Klavier whispered.

"Mm." Simon nodded. Though he really couldn't blame her; they had both been ill with measles for nearly a week and a half now, yet in that time he often wondered which of them was sicker.

Up until the day before, Athena's stomach was doing somersaults every other hour, and objected to any food that wasn't saline crackers. Not to mention how irritated her rashes got from her scratching them so much. Plus, her fever barely went down at all...

Meanwhile, in Simon's case, his stomach calmed down about a day and a half after that... _instance_ at the courthouse; he _really_ didn't like to think about it! His rashes, while he couldn't stand to look at them, they were surprisingly not the slightest bit itchy. And even though he still had a fever, it _did_ actually go down, from 103 to 101, though now he started to get chills bad enough to ask Klavier to fetch him some warmer clothes to sleep in.

Actually, now that he thought about it, there was no need to wonder who had it worse!

"How many times has he lost so far?" Simon asked, in an attempt to change the subject.

"He's on his sixth attempt." The blond man answered.

"Six?" The sick man questioned. _Don't they have clients to get to?_

"Oh ja. Forehead keeps getting stuck on level 8, and says it's the game's fault 'for being so hard'!" Klavier explained as he held back a laugh, while Simon scoffed at the very thought.

"Slow day, perhaps?"

Klavier simply nodded in confirmation. It was true, they did have trouble getting new clients, particially due to the epidemic. At that moment, they heard Apollo shout in frustration again. Both men shook their heads as they heard him resign from trying at another attempt.

"Ah, good." Klavier mumbled. "He's finally taking a break. Eh? What are you-" he asked, surprised to see the still sick Simon sitting at the edge of the bed, readying to stand as his hands moved from his PJ bottom covered legs to the frame. "Need help?"

"Would be greatly appreciated, yes." the taller of the two confirmed, as the blond man took his hands to carefully pull him up. "My gaming skills are a little rusty, but..."

"You're going to show Herr Forehead how it's done?"

"That, and I could stand more than 10 minutes out of bed."

* * *

"So, it's not my fault I keep losing?" Apollo inquired when Simon's turn came. The taller of the two had just given him some tips on playing the game correctly, which he made sure to remember for the next time.

"Well...Not entirely!" the samurai prosecutor smirked. He caught a glimpse of the red attorney glaring at him with a hint of irritation. He brushed it off as he continued on.

As the pair kept playing, they soon heard a door open, followed by footsteps along with a weak 'where is everybody?' that no doubt came from Athena. Their suspicions were confirmed when the ginger-haired attorney entered the room, still PJ-clad and very obviously sick, though she seemed to be getting just well enough to make it as far as she did on her own. After they greeted her, Apollo helped her over to the couch when it was established she wanted to join in. Even if she did more watching than playing, Athena was just glad to be out of bed for a little while! Comfortably tucked under Klavier's arm, his nice cool hand gently rubbed against hers, she watched the screen as the colorful pills slowly, then quickly, descend, rotating at a rapid pace, before meeting with the targeted viruses, whether by wedging between them, or simply stacking on top of one another, they would pop away from existence; occasionally multiple viruses would be done away with at once! It was engaging, satisfying, and strangely relaxing all at one time.

"Hey, are you doing okay?" she heard one of the guys ask, though she couldn't figure out who since he was speaking so softly. After watching the on-screen action for awhile, fatigue took the opportunity to take over again, leaving Athena struggling to keep her eyes open, which obviously didn't go unnoticed.

She simply nodded, not looking in any particular direction.

"She's exhausted!" chirped Widget.

"...Really, Widget?" Athena mumbled, wondering how she managed to forget to take the robot necklace off. She let out a few coughs before taking her focus back to the screen.

* * *

And there's chapter seven! Whew! Sorry if this isn't as good as it should have been. Like I said, I've been burning out. But that won't stop me until the next (and final) chapter is done.

Until then, honest reviews, please!


	8. Chapter 8

Here it is, Chapter Eight! It has finally come. I hope it's decent enough; like I said before, I have been burnt out on this fic.

More AN at the end! Enjoy! c:

* * *

-Chapter 8-

A few days passed since then. Simon was remarkably getting a lot better; his fever was finally gone, and his rashes had begun to clear up! It wouldn't be much longer before he could finally go home.

And then there was Athena. While her rashes were already clearing up, her fever refused to subside. Besides that, something else seemed wrong. Not only was her cough getting worse, but the nausea returned as well, which even took her by surprise! Baffled by this turn of events, her friends escorted her to the clinic; maybe one of the doctors would know?

* * *

"We'll have to run some tests to be sure, but it's looking like pneumonia." the doctor explained, after examining the sick ginger.

"How did this happen?" Apollo asked, rubbing Athena's back as she let out a hacking cough.

"It's a common complication that can follow many different illnesses." the doctor explained. "There are, fortunately, many different treatment options proven to work rather well."

"Well, what do you recommend, Doc?" Widget asked on behalf of his wearer.

"Oy, my recommendation...?" the doctor pondered. While I always do say 'yes' to self care, based on your symptoms, Ms. Cykes, I may have to put you on a nebulizer as well."

Athena only nodded, as if to say "That's fine."

"If you somehow get any worse, I'll have to put you on oxygen therapy." the doctor added. "I doubt it will come to that, so we'll see how it goes with the nebulizer for now!"

* * *

The first few days of the nebulizer treatment seemed to work wonders for Athena. For one, she could actually breathe without coughing every five seconds; now it was every five minutes.

 _Now if only it would settle my stomach!_ she thought, while she faced the wastebasket. Simon helped keep her hair back while she gagged and heaved. For a moment, Athena questioned if she was _ever_ going to get better...

"I got more dramamine!" said Apollo, who entered the room with the aforementioned motion sickness medicine in one hand, and a cup of water in the other.

Athena sat up long enough to take the medicine and the drink, before leaning back into her pillow, exhausted from spending the day on and off puking. There wasn't even anything in her stomach that _would_ come back up by then, yet without medicine, her body insisted on heaving anyway!

"Thanks." she said, blankly, once the cup was empty. A few minutes passed before she started coughing again, though this time it was just that.

* * *

A few more days passed, and the nausea did finally go away, while the rashes were finally gone! While that much was relieving for Athena, she wasn't yet fully recovered. She found herself using the nebulizer every other hour, and coughing the illness out of her system the rest of the time!

After awhile, time became elusive. Days merged with nights, and eventually would become one big memory for Athena. At some point, Simon went home and she had the bed all to herself once again. She was content, but since she was used to sleeping next to someone, she was lonely, too; sure, she could one of the others to join her, but she didn't want to risk getting them sick! Not all forms of pneumonia have a vaccine, after all. Not wanting to think about it further, she turned to face the wall, before falling asleep once more.

"Athena?" Apollo's attempt at a whisper rang in, after a knock on the half-open door. "Are you awake?"

A pause. "I am now..." she answered, as she turned to face him.

"We're gonna get takeout, do you want to try to eat something?" he asked.

 _Have I not eaten today?_ she wondered. Before she could answer, Athena entered yet another coughing fit. It stopped after about a minute, with some help from Apollo gently patting her back. There was another pause before either of the two spoke again.

"I should, but I'm not that hungry." she finally answered. "Maybe just something small."

Apollo simply nodded, before making his way to exit the room.

After dinner was finished, he helped Athena back to bed, so she could rest up some more.

"There." he said, adjusting the covers so that she was comfortable. "I'll be here a little longer again tonight, so I'll check on you before..." he trailed off, feeling as though something was off. "Athena? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." she answered. He could sense denial.

"You sure?" Apollo inquired, now skeptical.

Athena nodded, fidgeting with Widget. "I'm just tired, that's all..."

"Are you really?" he questioned.

Athena pondered a moment, knowing she couldn't successfully lie to her fellow lawyer. Finally, she answered: "Ever since Simon got better and went home, I haven't been resting as easily as I should..."

It took Apollo a minute to realize what she was getting at, but once he figured it out, he knew exactly what to do.

"Alright, scoot over." he said, as he joined her on the bed.

"A-Apollo?" Athena was somewhat surprised by the sudden hold. "Are you sure you should-"

"It's fine!" he reassuringly confirmed. "I have a strong immune system."

With those words, Athena knew she could enjoy being cuddled. The pair stayed like that well into the evening, only breaking away and getting up once each. The next thing they knew, they had found they were asleep in each other's arms all night!

Not that either really minded!

A few more weeks passed, and both Athena and Simon were fully recovered! Although now, everyone else had gotten sick with the flu, except for Apollo, who had a mild case of pneumonia, and the roles of patients and caregivers were reversed. It was the most the two could do in return!

-The End-

* * *

And there's the long-awaited conclusion! I know it could have been better, but as I said before, I have been burnt out on this fic. I finished it, however, because I didn't want to see it incomplete for a second longer.

Since I'm running out of ideas for new stories, I'll gladly take requests, should anyone have any! Feel free to message me anytime on the matter.

In the meantime, honest reviews, please! c:


End file.
